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Spring is a busy season on the farm, bringing longer days, warmer weather, and the promise of a productive year ahead. To ensure success, now is the time to prepare your fields, care for your livestock, and maintain your equipment. Here are some essential tips to help you get your farm ready for spring. 1. Preparing Your Fields Healthy soil is the foundation of a successful growing season. Start by testing your soil to determine nutrient levels and pH balance. Based on the results, apply the necessary fertilizers or amendments to promote optimal crop growth. When selecting crops, consider rotating...

Egg binding is a commonly cited problem on online forums, but what is this condition and how can you treat it? More importantly, how can you prevent it? Egg binding occurs when a hen has been straining to lay an egg for several hours. A stuck egg prevents fecal matter and other eggs from passing out of the body, and the hen will eventually die from shock or infection. Causes There are a number of factors that may cause egg binding. Eggs form with the pointy end facing the vent opening, but they are laid blunt end first, which means...

People and chickens operate on different schedules that sometimes conflict. As days shorten and the temperature drops people turn on furnaces and electric lights and sleep about as many hours as they do in summer. Not chickens. Their daily schedule is set by daylight. Lacking artificial light they settle into a long night’s sleep as soon as dusk arrives and don’t wake until tomorrow’s dawn. In high latitudes they often sleep 15 or 16 hours a night. For chickens, winter is a time for rest, not reproduction. Cold temperatures don’t reduce laying, but as fall advances, decreasing daylight causes egg...

Tis the season to be jolly! It is also the season to be more diligent at keeping our pets safe and healthy over the holidays. With holiday parties, trees, tinsel, candles and presents, our pets are at a greater risk to get into trouble. Here are a few holiday safety tips to keep them safe. The tree: With pets in the house, it is safest to place the tree in the corner. This will make it easier to anchor the top of the tree so climbing cats don't knock it over. Also, use a tree stand that is one size...

While your dog or cat's quality and length of life depend on various factors like age, disease, and breed, one often overlooked component is weight. If your cat or dog is overweight, it could potentially raise the risk of various diseases and injuries, and overall, make it harder for your pet to live a long and healthy life. Keeping your pet at a healthy weight can be difficult, but you can start implementing some best practices with these tips. Check if Your Pet is Overweight Though some fat on your pet is normal, too much could interfere with their health....